Writer Support: Beat the Blank Page

Some tips and tricks to beat that (not-so-sweet) nothing

Just... Do it.

No of course not. I'm not Shia LaBeouf, I know yesterday you said tomorrow... Okay okay, seriously, sometimes starting a project can seem like the most momentous task. You've got your mental blocks, your self-doubt, lack of time time, the toast is probably ready. You name it, it's an excuse, but I've been there, heck most days I'm still there. So like some self-writing help slut, I've got out and read around, and now I'm reclaiming my power to write. Below are some of the best tips not only to keep you focused, but make it over the biggest hurdle of all, the blank page.

Find Your 'Zone'

I'm not just talking about your headspace here, this is getting your mental and physical zones in a good state. For instance, if my house or room is messy I just can't focus. It's as simple as that. It beats me down, and I feel overwhelmed, and unable to work, so I know I need to have it clean and organised before I can crack on. That being said I also find it fairly relaxing to sit down and write at my local library, others prefer a café, or even just sitting outside in the garden. You know where you work best, or if you still don't know your zone, experiment till you find it, after all, you may even find inspiration along the way.

Stop Editing As You Go

This is one of the golden rules that has helped me more than you'd believe, especially as a procrastinating perfectionist. DON'T go back to each line or paragraph after you've written them, just keep going. You can come back to them at the end, and go through that section all at once. Going back and editing can really disrupt your flow, plucking you out of your groove, because you'll no longer be in a writing flow, but rather a stop-start edit journey. Sure you may have made that perfect first paragraph, but you've stopped yourself from writing a few more, and pulled yourself out of that groove, just to get that bit amended. I'd rather have a full writing session, and build up a good amount of writing, knowing I can touch it all up later, than come away with one perfect paragraph, a paragraph that ultimately may just get discarded anyway as the story develops.

Carve Some Time

Set aside some time to write and stick to it, whether that's fifteen minutes or three hours. Allocate some time each week, and set it as your writing time, with no interruptions, no distractions, just you and your thoughts. That time still goes ahead whether you have an idea you want to explore or not. If you don't have anything in mind pull up some writing prompts, write an alternative take, or just start typing some absolute waffle, the main thing to do at this time is attune your brain to write. Some people work better on spontaneity, while others work best with a rigid timeline, recognise what method works best for you and implement it. For me I need a schedule, I like to know what is happening and when, it helps me feel clear and calm (Even if I sleep till midday most days because I'm a lazy f***).

Just Write

As simple as it sounds just sit down and write, whether you have a topic at hand or not, just unleash your words. At this point the key isn't to get you started on writing your magnum opus, but to just get you writing, after all, that's the main hurdle we're trying to beat. Don't think about it, just start spewing words all over the place, more than likely some form of idea will start to form. I can't promise that you'll have a great idea every time you do this, but what I can promise is you'll be writing, and beating that mental block to get started. The blank page can be intimidating, so fill it with drivel. Now you no longer have a blank page, and you've also given your brain the creative kick it needs to overcome that mental block.